Growing the wonderful benefits of compost

Growing the wonderful benefits of compost

Jeremy Jacobs is head of the Organics Recycling Group and a director of the Renewable Energy Association. He can be found @JJ_Organics.

The recycling of biodegradable waste is now a well established norm for many householders. The use of compost and digestate have also now become well accepted into the farming community and the user growing media market. Quality of output continues to be the most important focus for operators and waste collectors alike. If we are to grow confidence in the use of these materials the industry needs to step up to the plate and ensure that their material is genuinely fit for purpose.

It is also a responsibility of the collection authorities to make a more concerted effort to collect material that is biodegradable and free from contaminants that reduce the value of the material and cost the composting site a great deal of money!

With stalling recycling rates in England, the ORG are pushing on Westminster’s door to emulate Scotland and mandate food waste collection. This initiative would not only assist in meeting our recycling obligations for 2020 but assist in the wider circular economy aspirations are being trumpeted from Europe but heeded little in England.

Now is the time to shout about the real benefits of our wonderful product in order that its benefits are well recognised by a wider audience. Biowaste will continue to be recognised as a valuable contributor not only to the recycling agenda but also the employment and renewable energy agenda as the use of anaerobic digestion grows in spite of the recent cutbacks to subsidy levels.

We should not forget that our contribution to the wider rural economy is significant and it is important that we continue to shout this from the rooftops for years to come.